Dan Walker to step down from BBC’s Football Focus after 12 years as he looks forward to ‘exciting opportunities’
BBC presenter Dan Walker has announced his departure from Football Focus.
The programme has been a Saturday lunchtime staple since its launch as part of Grandstand in 1974, with Walker the host for the past 12 years.
On Thursday, 44-year-old Walker confirmed the move.
He said: “This is going to be my last season presenting Football Focus.
“It has been an amazing 12 years and I can honestly say I have loved every single second of it.
“I am so proud of the job we’ve done, the changes we’ve made and issues we’ve looked at a time when the football landscape has changed immeasurably.
“But, having said all that, after 12 years it’s time for someone else to take the reins.”
Crawley-born Walker will remain with the BBC as host of Breakfast, as well as presenting sports shows including the upcoming summer Olympics.
And he teased ‘one or two exciting opportunities’ that will be revealed soon.
Walker added: “I’d like to say thank you to the amazing team at Focus who put so much into the show each week and thank you to the audience for tuning in every Saturday.”
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The final Football Focus presented by Walker will air on May 22 with no news of a replacement announced yet.
Former morning television rival Piers Morgan, now available after leaving Good Morning Britain, joked that he will be the one to jump in the hotseat.
He quote-tweeted the announcement with the phrase: “I start Saturday.”
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